Improvement in printing and ornamenting india-rubber



UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

GEORGE LEWIS, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

I IMPROVEMENT IN PRINTING AND ORNAMENTING INDIA-RUBBER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,686, dated May 26, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. LEWIS, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful improvementin the process of printing and transferring printed matter, engravings, &c., from paper upon a surface of indiarubber or other vulcanizable gums, so as to render the same indelible; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, which, taken in connection with the accompanying samples, will render the process easily understood.

My invention consists, first, in printing typographically or with engraved plates, and transferring printed matter, engravings, &c., from paper upon the soft compound of indiarubber or other vulcanizable gums; second, in fixing printed matter, engravings, 850., indelibly in the surface of vulcanizableindia-rubber or allied gums by the process of vulcanizing, substantially as herein specified.

To enable others skilled in the art to make use of my invention,l will proceed to describe the same.

First, the fabric to be printed upon may consist either entirely of india-rubber or an allied gum, or of a mixture in proper proportions of the soft compound and a fibrous material silk, flax, wool, &c.capable of withstanding the necessary degree of heat to which the'rubber is subjected in the process of vulcanizing; or it may consist of a thin woven fabric of silk or other fibrous material, or of paper covered or coated upon one side with afilm or surface of the softcompound or unvulcanized gum.

Second,the operation of printing upon a fabric of this description does not ditferin any essential particular from printing upon paper; but it will be observed that from the nature of the material impressions taken upon the rubber surface are remarkable for their distinctness and fine effect, receiving, as it does, the finest lines and the most delicate shading.

Third, in the operation of transferring printed matter, engravings, &c, from paper, I first dampen the paper to soften it and receive the ink, and after laying the printed side upon the rubber surface to which it is to be transferred I subject it to a considerable pressure in a suitable press, after which the rubberfabric, with the paper adhering to it or not, is subjected to the vulcanizing process.

Fourth, the operation of fixing the printed .or transferred impression indelibly in the surface of the rubber fabric is to subject theprinted fabric to a considerable pressure between two metal surfaces which are heated to a temperature of about 300, and otherwise treated, according to the method generally practiced in vulcanizlng india-rubber and allied gums.

By means of the vulcanizing process theink with which the india-rubber, 850., is printed is incorporated with the fabric so efiectually that it cannot be altered or removed by any means which does not destroy the rubber surface itself and it is this property of resisting all efforts to alter or remove printed matter, &c., from a fabric susceptible of beingused for such a great variety of purposes that makes my invention valuable The vulcanizi n g process renders impressions or marks in black-lead (plumbago) and some colors indelible, as well as printing-ink; and when it is considered that the soft compound can be molded in every conceivableform, and that designs in basso-rilievo and in alto-rilievo can be combined with indelible printed impressions upon the samefabric'or surface, it will be seen that this invention may be applied to innumerable useful purposes.

By means of my improved process banknotes, drafts, and other instruments representing value may be printed upon a fabric of itself indestructible except by fire, and as the printed impressions are equally indestructible and indelible it follows that such bank-notes,

. &c., can neither be counterfeited nor destroyed,

except by fire, and that they will resist any amount of wear caused by folding and transportation. Besides these, maps, charts, &c., for army and navy use, charters, deeds, envelopes, &c., may be made which are absolutely imperishable.

'Having thus described my invention, and enumerated some of the uses to which it may be put,I wish it understood that I do not limitmyself to the use of any particular ink or coloring-matter for printing upon the soft compound; but I claim the use of anyand all inks and coloring-matter which will unite with the compound and be rendered indelible by the subsequent process of vulcanizing. Neither do I restrict myself to the use of any composition of material constituting a printing fabric of the nature described, so long as substantially a sufficient surface of vulcanizable india-rubber or allied gum is afforded to receive the printed or transferred impression, substantially in the manner contemplated.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Printing and transferring printed matter,

engravings, 810., upon the soft compound ofl vulcanizable india-rubber or allied gums, substantially as described.

2. Fixing printed matter, engravings, &c., indelibly upon surfaces of india-rubber or allied gums, substantially in the manner specified.

GEORGE H. LEWIS.

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